Recognize The Real presents The Dapper Dan Era ('86-'88)

You know for a certain time in hip-hop the rappers didnt dictate the latest styles, the hustlers and the gangsters did. In the mid '80s hip-hop was still trying to figure what the main style was, whether was it was dressing like rock starts like Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five or dressing like Run-DMC with the leather pants & jacket wit the hats. I mean it really wasnt set in stone yet. But around '86 things started to change and it started in Harlem. If you are familiar to the game and know hip-hop like u should, we all know in Harlem around that time Alpo & Rich Porter plus AZ was running thangs in the streets. They was moving that weight and was considered kings in the hood of Harlem. As u know, if u living large like they were at the time u was definitely gonna flaunt it. I mean u have to dress the part to be the part. And where they did they go? A local designer in Harlem on 125 St. named Dapper Dan had his own store there. And he gave the opportunity most people in the hood never had, and that was for us to actually get major fashion design labels to wear. Back then labels like Gucci, MCM, Louis Vuitton & Fendi was costing astronomical prices plus they wasnt catering to us black folks.
So Dapper Dan was able to get madddd bulkloads of  Gucci, MCM, Louis Vuitton & Fendi print material sent to him from Korea using his connects. And he was able to design custom clothing outfits to cater to the masses of NYC. He was ahead of its time in sort of ways cause those labels wasnt making clothes like this yet, they was still years away from doin anything even similar to this. Dapper was even takin it further by customizing interior of cars using the same print plus wheel covers! So as Dapper Dan was doin his thing making these pieces, the streets was watching and hustlers & gangsters was peepin game. They knew this was the dude to go to get that fly shit that showed others that they was the don dada in the hood. Dapper Dan's store was open 24 hrs a day!! Thats crazy to even think about, but he had people workin around the clock at all times. The hustlers & gangsters of Harlem used to come at all times of the day to get custom pieces of clothing made for them. So now the word of mouth has spread and it caught the hip-hop world's attention. And the 1st MC to put his stamp on it was Rakim & his partner Eric B in the "Paid In Full" video. Once Rakim did that in '86 it was on and poppin from there. Every rapper from the 80's damn near, went to Dapper Dan to get their outfits done. It was only right for this man to outfit you and Mike Tyson knew that too, thats why he hired Dan to be his personal tailor. So that endorsement right there is a official stamp to let u know how big this dude was in the 80's.
I made this mix inspired by that brief time in hip-hop '86-'88, cause that was a time in hip-hop when it was making the move to big time and everybody was being creative. And Dapper Dan was the man leading the way. I tried to create a mix to kind of recapture what the hustlers & gangsters was listenin to in their rides driving up to Harlem 125th St. going to Dapper's coppin their pieces. Thats what i tried to do with this, im pretty sure they was jammin these joints during this time plus every rapper in this mix wore Dapper Dan in some point of time during that period. I hope yall like this joint. I love this mix myself and i will be jammin this alot and i think u will do the same!

Lookin very Dapper!